Dr Zafar Jaspal
THE failure of the Taliban regime to uphold its international commitments, particularly in preventing its territory from being used by transnational terrorist syndicates, has created a serious crisis between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Islamabad’s unreciprocated restraint has emboldened Taliban leadership to continue supporting anti-Pakistan forces, posing an immediate threat to Pakistan’s national security. The recent military response is a crucial step towards bringing the Taliban to reality and it is imperative that they start behaving rationally.
Islamabad’s persistent appeals for Kabul to rein in the Fitna al Khawarij, the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Fitna al Hindustan, the Baloch terrorist groups, which have found safe havens in Afghanistan, have been disregarded. Consequently, these groups continue to pose a significant and immediate threat to Pakistan, carrying out their terrorist activities. The continued terrorism and Afghan forces’ violation of the border have compelled Pakistan to use its military force to prevent the Afghan militaristic designs. Therefore, it launched precision strikes to destroy the terrorist hideouts located inside Afghanistan. For instance, on the night of October 18, 2025, the Pakistani military destroyed the camps of the outlawed Gul Bahadur group inside Afghanistan near the shared border.
Islamabad did its best to convince the Taliban government to control the terrorist groups operating from its soil, killing innocent civilians and law enforcement agencies’ personnel. Instead of accommodating the legitimate security concerns of Islamabad and abiding by the Doha Agreement, which bars the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities, Kabul has protected the radicalized militants. Ironically, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi opined that terrorism is Pakistan’s internal issue without realizing that the terrorists are residing in and operating from Afghanistan. The denial approach of the Afghan Taliban leadership has frustrated the people of Pakistan. They are pressuring the government to take firm action against the Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan and their supporters in Afghanistan.
Since October 11, 2025, the situation between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been tense due to Afghan forces’ unprovoked attack on Pakistani border posts. This has led to a significant shift in Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy, with the government now using kinetic means to protect the people of Pakistan from the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.
Last week, the government of Pakistan announced the closure of all Afghan refugee camps across the country. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif stated the government would not grant any further extension to the refugees. Though Pakistan has been repatriating Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan since the United States troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, it now seems very firm on the issue due to their continued involvement in cross-border terrorism. Prime Minister Shehbaz said, “Despite multiple diplomatic efforts, including high-level visits by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Defence Minister and other senior officials to Kabul, Pakistan’s concerns regarding the use of Afghan soil by terrorist groups remain unresolved.”
Recognizing the alarming situation between the two neighbors, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with Turkeiye, have stepped in to mediate the crisis. Their diplomatic efforts have facilitated a meeting between Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and his Afghan counterpart Maulvi Sahib Muhammad Yaqub Mujahid, aiming to establish a ceasefire and devise a sustainable mechanism to ensure enduring peace and stability between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Another disturbing development is the increasing cordiality between the Afghan Taliban and the Modi Government. This warming up of relations is a matter of concern for the neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan, as both the Afghan Taliban and the Modi Government are known to assist TTP and BLA, two groups that pose a significant threat to Pakistan’s security.
To conclude, the two nations agreed to a ceasefire on October 18, 2025. However, the situation remains tense. Without the Taliban Government’s verifiable guarantees that the TTP and BLA will not operate against Pakistan, the Doha meeting will prove futile. Thus, the need of the hour is that both sides chalk out an agreement to ensure border security and prevent their territories from being used against each other. This agreement should include specific measures to prevent the TTP and BLA from operating against Pakistan from Afghan soil.
—The writer is Prof at the School of Politics and IR, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
